


Almost

by LannaBanzai



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-12
Updated: 2015-05-12
Packaged: 2018-03-30 06:53:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3927070
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LannaBanzai/pseuds/LannaBanzai
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Little bit on the finale</p>
            </blockquote>





	Almost

She had been surprised with how hard it had been: To tell him how she felt. It was ridiculous, she knew it wouldn't change a thing between them. She knew he wouldn't hurt her. But she had been so scared to feel that hurt again, that she couldn't do it.

Even after she had ran to him, his name falling from her lips like a breath as she crashed into him. The two of them tumbling backwards onto her bed. She still couldn’t say it.

Even when she giggled after he had let out a laugh of surprise. She had the chance to tell him, but she hesitated.

* * *

 

_She almost told him then_.

_She almost said the words she had been dying for him to hear._

_But she was scared and she stopped._

Instead she thanked him, watching as his face fell slightly. She knew a similar look had crossed hers, when she couldn't bring herself to say the words. She was surprised at how hard it had been for her to get the words out of her mouth. Yet she still couldn’t say them.

But now, standing on the edge of danger, she couldn’t give into the fear that is gripping her heart. Instead she gave  in to him. To his voice that was calling out her name, begging her, pleading her.

_She hated herself for being the one to put that sadness back in his eyes._

_Hated herself for not telling him sooner: when they had had a chance._

They’d had a chance, and she had been too afraid to let herself take it: to grab that chance and finally let herself enjoy a part of life. He wouldn't hurt her. She knew that. But she didn’t take it. She couldn’t allow herself the freedom to  have that chance.

Her excuses were pointless now, standing here with the dagger in her hand. She had never been more terrified in her entire life. Never felt the fear as strong as it was right now. She had faith they would find her, but at the same time she was terrified that they wouldn't be able to: that they never would. That she'd be too far gone for them to bring her back.

She was losing everything. Everything she didn't know she even had the chance to lose. It was this particular reasoning, that she just let herself feel every last feeling she had for him.

"I love you." He wasn't surprised, he knew her better than she knew herself. But before he could react, she pushed him away and let herself get pulled into the darkness.

His face was the last one she saw. The last one she wanted to see. Then the darkness closed in on her and she was gone.

————————————————————

She was alone, terrified, and unable to remember why she fought the darkness in the first place. A constant battle in her head between what is right and what she wanted to do. Instinct told her everything she was doing was wrong, that it wasn’t right, or good. But she didn't want to be good, did she?

_It had been a long time since she could remember what she wanted._

Then she heard him. His voice calling out to her so similarly to that day she had nearly forgotten.

"Emma!" She couldn't see him, but she could hear him. He was far away, still searching, never giving up.

"I can hear you," she whispered, knowing he wouldn't be able to hear but unable to stop herself from saying it.

"Emma, I will find you. I love you too much to let you go, so I swear to you, Emma Swan. I will save you from the darkness." For the first time in a while, she felt something other than fear, something other than the darkness inside of her.

_He would find her._

_He would come back for her._

Because that's what her family always did. They found each other, and they never gave up.

_For the first time, Emma smiled, and there was a light in the dark._


End file.
